I was out today fishing for stripers and had a interesting pattern that I noticed. While I caught a couple of fish, I think if I could have figured it out, I would've caught a lot more.

The pattern was I would come up to a ledge in 30+ feet of water and start noticing a lot of fish right before the rise. All the fish were holding close to the bottom. As the rise came the numbers would start thinning out until I got to about 20 ft of water at which the depth would flatten out and the fish would be spread out in small groups (1-3). I tried slabbing the deeper fish and trolling A rigs but couldn't get the deeper fish to bite. The only fish I got to bite were on the "flat" in the small groups. Anyone have advice on how to entice the deeper fish to bite without live bait? Would obviously make the action a lot more intense!

What you experienced is pretty typical most of the year. There will almost always be fish holding on major drop offs and as a general rule the fish pushed up on structure will be more active and likely to bite a lure. You must keep in mind the fact that the good ole kitty cats like to hang out on those ledges as well. You may have a hard time getting them to bite a slab. (unless you’re on tawak haha). In the underwater world action brings more action and I’ve had success starting a drift up shallow, stimulating the fish, and slowly dragging the school off the ledge and out over the deeper fish with them joining the party as a result. It’s a killer little trick. Watch your electronics and look for those deeper fish to suspend and move up in the water column if they are active. If you are successful in making that happen the fish in thirty will be up and feeding at the same level as the fish on top of the structure. So in your case I would keep my lure at 20 feet even in 30 feet of water.

There are other ways to stimulate deep fish that are mentioned on here from time to time as well.

What you experienced is pretty typical most of the year. There will almost always be fish holding on major drop offs and as a general rule the fish pushed up on structure will be more active and likely to bite a lure. You must keep in mind the fact that the good ole kitty cats like to hang out on those ledges as well. You may have a hard time getting them to bite a slab. (unless you’re on tawak haha). In the underwater world action brings more action and I’ve had success starting a drift up shallow, stimulating the fish, and slowly dragging the school off the ledge and out over the deeper fish with them joining the party as a result. It’s a killer little trick. Watch your electronics and look for those deeper fish to suspend and move up in the water column if they are active. If you are successful in making that happen the fish in thirty will be up and feeding at the same level as the fish on top of the structure. So in your case I would keep my lure at 20 feet even in 30 feet of water.

There are other ways to stimulate deep fish that are mentioned on here from time to time as well.

Yes this is good stuff by Chris. Many, Many times mid summer after the catfish finish the spawn and the water starts heating up, most every drop off on the lake will be covered in catfish. Often times if you have some live bait you can get these cats feeding and then the hybrids will move in. When I have young kids in the boat and the fishing is slow this is always my backup plan during those hot summer days.

I really like all of this feedback...great stuff Chris! I really need to try to invest in the Navionics maps on my phone, so I can do a better job about following the ledge. It makes it difficult when I'm not using a tolling motor, and I'm by myself. If I had a Navionics map, I think I may be able to pull it off.

That's a good thought about catching the cats Tx Tree. I would think those cats are always hungry. It's just a matter of having some bait for them. Definitely rather hook up on the stripers, but if I'm taking out some friends just looking for action, it's a solid back up plan later in the morning.

If anyone has any other good tips, keep'em coming...I like this thread!